What Do You Mean We're Actually Dating?

For a while now, something had been bugging Draza. If Cesario and he were supposed to have just some sort of formal, business agreement, then why did it feel like they were legitimately dating? It didn't seem right, and it hadn't felt right for a while, now. He didn't usually make much conversation with Cesario about important matters. Since they weren't supposed to really be friends, he never really talked about his personal life.

This was different, though, he convinced himself. It was more important. He really, truly had to bring it up whenever he saw Cesario next.

Fiddling with a flower arrangement, he sighed heavily. Cesario would probably be around soon enough, and he had to ask him. He just...wasn't sure how he'd do it, yet.

At precisely one minute after noon, Cesario burst through the front door, carrying a large covered basket, several balloons, a large teddy bear, and a huge bouquet. Wrapped in his customary large fur coat to protect himself from the bitter February cold, he looked quite ridiculous.

"Happy Valentines Day, tesoro mio," he said simply, holding out the flowers. "All for you. I have a special evening planned--if you have nothing nice to wear, we will buy you something today, si?" Though his voice was not overly doting, something about his eyes was very loving and gentle.

"I was sure to get here first thing today."

Draza looked absolutely perplexed before he loudly groaned.

"Oh God, no...!" He buried his head in his hands. He loathed Valentines Day presents. He spent weeks in advance preparing Valentines Day things for his shop, and by this time he was absolutely sick of red and pink and flowers and he just...he hated it at this point.

His fingers were always sore from arranging flowers, too, and it exhausted him. He loved his job, but he had to work so much harder this time of the month. Besides just that, the customers were either complete jerks or just grossly in love. When he had to take orders, it was usually someone going on about how much they love their girlfriend/boyfriend, or the complete opposite. It was just...tiring.

"I-I mean..." He peaked out from behind his fingers, surveying the damage. The balloons wouldn't last long, at least. The rest? Unless he conveniently burned them, they'd be around for a while. He sighed heavily, trying to act happy. It was rather obvious, however that his smile fell short. "U-uh...m...thanks, Cesario.."

Cesario dropped all the items to the ground--except the balloons, which flew upward--immediately. He grabbed Draza, pulling him into his arms.

"I'm sorry to displease you," he said, stroking his back in a strangely affectionate manner. "I will buy better things--this will not happen again." He pulled Draza into his coat; underneath, he was wearing a surprisingly fashionable wine-red pinstripe suit that for once didn't clash with everything else he wore.

"I will even buy better chocolates and champagne, tesoro mio."

He gasped, but not because Cesario had pulled him close, but because up close he realized that Cesario was wearing something that matched! Being a stickler for fashion himself, he was so proud he planted a big kiss on Cesario's lips.

"You look so nice!" He said, examining the suit the best he could. "When did you buy this? You should wear it more often."

He smiled, looking incredibly proud of Cesario. But his smile faded slightly when he made eye contact with the bear.

"Oh, and as for the Valentines Day things...I'm sorry, I just...the holiday is really a big toll on me, you know?" He replied, motioning to the shop. "I'm still working on a few bouquets I have to finish before tonight, so I don't know if I can go out..."

He frowned. "I'm really sorry, I didn't know you had made plans."

He ran a gloved hand along Draza's spine. He had the slightest hint of a smile on his face; the kiss had made him very happy indeed.

"Forget the bouquets--you are mine today. That is what Valentines is about, si? More than just massacre." He kissed Draza's hand. "I want you to struggle walking tomorrow. Also, if you must know, the suit was custom-ordered--I thought it appropriate. You like?"

"Yes, the suit is wonderful. I like it a lot." He replied, ignoring there rest of that for the moment. It was going to be difficult, if not impossible, to convince Cesario to let him have a bit more time for his flowers. "But, really, just give me a few more minutes...? It won't take long, I swear."

He wiggled out of Cesario's arms so the he could move back over to his current arrangement. Then, it hit him. "Oh! I almost forgot!"

He hesitated, though, right after he said that. He was supposed to ask Cesario about their terms. After this, it seemed pretty obvious, though. But honestly, it just made him more confused.

"U-uh...I need to ask you...something." He said quietly.

Cesario gathered the balloons, stepping carefully over the dropped presents.

"Yes, amico mio? Ask anything." He paused in his balloon snatching, frowning slightly. "I should pop these, si? You are right--they are not good enough."

"No, just...leave them." He replied, not wanting to hear that obnoxious noise amidst the already obnoxious sounds of the street outside. It seemed louder today. Maybe it was just his headache.

He cleared his throat, sitting down on his favorite stool by the counter. "It's just...about us. I mean, our...'relationship'. What, exactly, would you call it...?"

He could feel himself blush. It wasn't a proper question to be asking at all, especially not from a man he had been sleeping with for so long. He had felt awkward just thinking about it, but somehow verbalizing it made it even worse.

Cesario blinked, confused.

"...This is a test? You want to test my devotion, something?...I thought it was very obvious.

"Anyway, I will play along. I...I do not know the word, si? But you are my girlfriend, and I am the boyfriend, and we go out and love each other and make sex. Amare." He popped a balloon as he finished speaking.

He grimaced as the balloon popped, but looked pleased with the answer despite that. Obviously, he and Cesario were dating. Though, the more he thought about it, the more he wasn't certain that was something he should be pleased about. As much as he liked Cesario, he was dating someone in the mafia. He had always been told to stay away from them, but Cesario didn't seem so bad. Not most of the time, anyway.

"I said not to pop the balloons." He replied, crossing his arms. "Now...I suppose I can take the night off. But just this once, okay?"

He let go of the strings to pull Draza close again, kissing him on the top of his head. He played inconspicuously with his hair, arguably his favorite thing about Draza's entire body.

"No, you should expect things like this, Dragovic--nights are not for you to work." He kissed him on the cheek, then the neck. "You belong to me fully at night, si?"

"No, I belong to my work." He replied, pushing Cesario away a bit. "I'm sorry I'm so busy all the time, but if I'm not, I won't be able to make any money. So, I guess you'll just have to deal with that."

He smiled again shortly after. "But that's not really important right now, after all, I already agreed to take tonight off, just for you. I don't want to waste it discussing the finer points of my work.

"What are we doing tonight, anyway?" He asked, reaching to pull his hair out of a ponytail. "I have to go change if we're going out. You mentioned that, right?"

He kissed Draza's neck again, more passionately this time; he even nipped at him a little, though not hard enough to leave a mark. That was for later.

"Work part-time, I'll pay for you," he cooed into Draza's ear. "You should become mine as your job.

"But yes, we're going out--have you something nice to wear? Or are we shopping today?"

He pushed Cesario away, despite the fact that he really didn't want to. "Yes, I have something nice to wear, don't worry about it."

He moved back to the living area of his shop and rifled through his closet before he found his special, carefully pressed suit. It was probably the most masculine thing he owned. He took off his apron and hung it up, moving to take off his shirt next.

"Oh, do I have time to shower?" He asked absently, removing his shirt.

He chuckled.

"The real event doesn't start until seven--we have all day to do anything you like. You can shower for as long as you want." He adjusted his coat suggestively.

Then he saw the suit, and he frowned.

"Tesoro mio, why must you dress like that? You should wear something more...flirty. Fun. Less manly, si?"

He frowned.

"Less manly? But it's the only formal thing I have. It's not like I wear women's clothes, you know." He pointed out, crossing his arms. "I'm not really precisely sure what you have in mind, anyway. If it helps, you can go ahead and look through my closet."

He undid his belt, taking his time in thinking about what other clothes he could possibly wear.

He kissed him on the cheek.

"Would you like to try the women's clothes? I think you would be lovely." He kissed Draza from his fingertips all the way to his neck. "I am be more than willing to buy you something."

He smiled, pausing to pull off his belt before he kissed Cesario on the lips.

"Alright. I'll go get a quick shower, then, and we can go out and shop for clothes. But I won't wear anything unless I can try it on and I like it, okay?" He insisted, poking Cesario in the chest.

He grinned kissing Draza again and then once more for good measure.

"We'll get you some underwear to match, Dragovic. Now, where should I put my clothes while we shower?"

He rose an eyebrow.

"We?" He frowned slightly, afterwards. "...my shower isn't big enough to fit more than 1 person."

He hated saying it, but it was true. His shower barely managed to fit him.

He felt himself blush. God, why did he have a small shower at such an opportune moment?

Cesario clicked his tongue in annoyance, his smile fading. How he loathed Draza's home.

"Why do you not buy a nice apartment? This house is not nice enough. Tonight we are staying at my place--you've been before, right?"

In fact, Draza hadn't; they had been dating for quite a while, but they had only made love in hotels or on Draza's couch. Oh, how Cesario hated that couch. He wanted to see the ratty thing burn, it was such an eyesore.

"I can't afford a nice apartment!" He replied defensively. "I'm lucky I manage to afford this!"

He paused, though, when Cesario mentioned his house.

"I actually haven't been to your house before. Where do you even live?" He asked, reaching for a nearby shirt. "So, we'll just go shopping and I can shower and get ready at your house?"

He nodded.

"Of course--my bath at home is enormous, though if you insist on shower that is also possible. I prefer baths--they are relaxing. Good for cuddling and...other things." He placed his hand on the small of Draza's back momentarily.

"You know, if you can no afford a good place you should live with me. It would be good, si?"

"Baths are for girls." He replied, somewhat cattily, as he grabbed the shirt and put it on. However, when he heard Cesario mention living together, he looked at him.

"...Are you asking me to move in with you?" He asked, confused. "Isn't it...kind of soon for that?"